Tuesday, June 28, 2011

I had a request for my hummus recipe so I thought I would share a little history on the yummy, garlicy dip . . .

Did you know that the earliest known recipes date back to 13th century Egypt? Hummus was a cold puree of chickpeas with vinegar and pickled lemons, nuts, herbs, spice, and oil - no tahini. It was rolled out and left out overnight, which would probably lend itself to a different texture than how we know it today. Tahini wasn't added to the recipe until much later. The earliest documentation of hummus iteself comes from 18th century Damascus and it appears it was unknown elsewhere at this time.

Interesting eh?

Here is my tweaked recipe for hummus, as we enjoy it in my household:

(1) 14.5-19 oz can of chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) - drained.

2 T. - 1/4 c. tahini (sesame paste) - according to your taste (some people like it with a strong sesame paste . . .if that is the case, add the 1/4 c. . .less if you don't like such a sesame taste, use less)

extra virgin olive oil to taste

1 t. ground cumin

2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped - you can always add more if you like garlicy hummus!

course salt to taste

1/2 lemon, juiced (or more, according to taste)

Pita bread wedges for dipping

Combine chickpeas, cumin, garlic cloves, salt and lemon juice in food processor bowl and grind into a smooth paste. As you are grinding, slowly add the olive oil to the ingredients. Add the olive oil according to the consistency that you enjoy . . . I tend to like a smoother hummus (less chunky), so I add a good amount of olive oil. Check the consistency and flavor between splashes of olive oil - add more salt, cumin, lemon juice just according to your taste if needed.

Serve in a dish with warm pita wedges. Makes a great appetizer or snack with veggies! This is always a hit at a party!

Note: For a spicier rendition I add crushed chili flakes. . .or you can also add some Sriracha according to your taste.

Hello everyone! Welcome to my Food Love blog! I'm excited to share my love of food with you! My love of food began as a child, sharing family meals with my parents, going out to eat, learning how to cook at home with my mom and dad, traveling between Wisconsin and Texas, and making foods my mom and dad learned how to cook when they were kids. Follow me on my journey as I share my love of cooking and food . . .I do not consider myself an expert or connoisseur . . .but I do know what I enjoy (Tex Mex, Thai, American, Persian, Southern - as in Southern USA!, and Italian just to name a few kinds of foods that have my heart!)! I will share tips and tricks, food news, gardening tips (from my hubby!), food/tablescapes, healthy bits and tips, restaurant reviews, recipes (my own and those I may tweak or those that I LOVE and have to share!), travel info based on food, culture tidbits, and much much more! I'm glad you're here. . .I hope you'll find your journey with me worthwhile! :) XOXO, Jen